Hunting with sierra match kings

[propulsionclimbing]

Re: Hunting with sierra match kings

I don't think you can generalize about whether the SMK is a good hunting bullet. My experience is that some SMKs in certain calibers are great hunting bullets. For example, I have killed Moose, Elk, Mule Deer, Antelope, and bears with the 300 SMK. I have recovered bullets and they are a perfect mushroom with 85%+ retained weight. So I would say, yes the .338 300 SMK is a great hunting bullet. This is probably due to its high sectional density. Some of the other SMKs that have a lower SD might not be that great of hunting bullets.

 

[jayd4wg]

Re: Hunting with sierra match kings

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: mram10</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Geneva convention doesn't allow hollow points, maybe that is what you were thinking. FMJs are actually suggested.

As for the Military Issued M9 9mm, I don't know of any of us that like it over the 45. Another example of politics taking the place of common sense in war. </div></div>

Agreed that FMJ is suggested, and did not know about the hollow points, i had always assumed that GC did not allow soft points, especially in the case of large bore sniping rifles.

as to the 9mm vs. .45 - depends on who you ask - the frontline cops of yesteryear toting around the 38special wheel gun would have LOVED to have the .45 1911 on their duty belt instead of the peashooter they were carrying. The soldier going door too door in Iraq would likely LOVE to have the power of the .45 or even the .40 or 10mm over the 9mm any day and would likely be willing to trade TODAY magazine capacity and less recoil for OSOK.

Back on task though - hunting w/fmj SMK's in my mind is just not the way to go. You all can piss on trees all you want, but the truth is, IF you miss your mark (yeah right...not in this crowd ) your chance of wounding vs. killing is FAR higher. I've seen deer hit with the RIGHT projectile in the wrong place that did not die. A broadhead to the "no mans land" in the high chest cavity without hitting the spine will result in a healed wound and a buck that got away. A gut shot deer (again...noone here would EVER do such a thing nor would they admit it if they did) with an FMJ would result in a very long tracking session in most cases.

Deer are fickle though. I've seen deer killed by a small thump on the nose with a side mirror of a honda civic, and i've seen deer with canteloupe sized exit holes made by a hot 7mm mag load run for the hills like they were never touched. It's hard to use whitetail deer as your yard stick.

On that note...if i were shooting something like a cape buffalo and MY life depended on my bullet rendering the animal USELESS, my money is on a strong expando-plug of some sort, known to hold together like the NosPar's

 

[mram10]

Re: Hunting with sierra match kings

Jason,
I shoot SMKs and they are not a FMJ. They are a HPBT. They expand fine, but my choice is the thin skinned Berger VLD. Those definitely do the job well.